Start with locations and destinations
Give buildings, floors, zones and rooms a recognisable identification. Link goods to that source location and to an agreed destination. Use the same names in inventory, planning and label plan.
Record what affects execution
Not every object requires the same approach. Record characteristics that have consequences for treatment, resources, time or the deployment of specialists. Missing information remains visible as an open question.
- Type and quantity, with a clear description.
- Dimensions, weight and accessibility where relevant.
- Required disassembly, packaging or specialist treatment.
- Destination: move, internal reuse, repurposing or disposal.
- Priority and responsible for special preparation.
Allow users and specialists to complete
Facility does not always see what a user or technician knows. For example, for laboratory equipment it must be clear which supplier is involved. With archives, order and accessibility are important. Have those responsible confirm the relevant details.
Connect inventory to budget and planning
Volumes and characteristics provide input for scenarios, quotations and resource planning. Avoid different suppliers calculating with different inventory versions. Include date, version and assumptions with the information you share.
Keep changes manageable
An inventory evolves. Agree who is allowed to make changes, who assesses them and how implementers receive the current information. Before execution, check whether new destinations and labels still match.
Illustrative example
This is how this can play out in a project
A department has forty desks. During the inventory it appears that part needs to be dismantled and some pieces go to another location. The number of desks alone would not provide sufficient information for staff deployment and transport planning.
Discuss this with your project team
- Are all locations and storage areas included?
- Are destinations and exceptions confirmed?
- Who manages the current version?
- Have suppliers received the same information?